The Pokémon Tales
by Katifer Dragonite
Summary: This is an anthology of stories from the Pokémon world, based on a fairy tale style. Because of the genre, each story will be different from the last, and in no particular order, but all will share the Pokémon we all know and love. I hope you enjoy!
1. Charmander's Tale

Once upon a time, a young Charmander was given to a new trainer as his first Pokémon on his tenth birthday. The trainer was eager, but unpractised in the ways of Pokémon, and his ignorance caused many battles to be lost. Not realising that the fault lay with him, the trainer would often lash out at his Charmander, berating her for not being fast or strong or brave enough. Finally, the Charmander could take no more, and resolved to flee from this boy who was so cruel to her.

And so, the Charmander snuck away from her sleeping master one dark night, concealing herself in the long grass. She ran, hoping to get as far away as possible before he could wake up and pursue her. But she was young and her legs short, so she did not run for long before she collapsed, just as dawn began to lighten the horizon.

When she awoke – cold, sore and wet – the Charmander was surrounded by a number of wild Pokémon, who were looking at her curiously. One, a Pidgey of higher level than the rest, stepped forward.

"We have never seen a Charmander in the wild before. Where is your trainer?" he asked.

"I had a trainer, but I have run away from him – I am a free Pokémon now," the Charmander replied proudly.

The watching Pokémon murmured in shock, and the Pidgey raised his voice again:

"You say you are free – free like the rest of us. Free to sleep in the rain, to scavenge for food, to faint and not recognise the place you wake up. Free to never grow in level because most trainers will never let you defeat their Pokémon, and because we must not fight amongst ourselves. Is this better than what you left behind?"

"But my trainer was mean to me! I had to flee!" protested the Charmander, suddenly unsure of himself.

"Why do you think that wild Pokémon attack trainers? It is not for the pleasure of letting them beat us, or simply flee. We do it because every one of us hopes that one day someone will catch us. It is the only way we can ever gain what you so quickly threw away. Even a cruel trainer is better than none."

The Charmander heard the conviction in the Pidgey's voice and knew that he spoke the truth. And so she ran back the way she had come, heedless of her aching limbs and praying that her trainer would still be there. As she came close, she began to hear his voice, calling for her, and she raced out of the grass to leap into his arms. He hugged her back, promising never to be so mean again, for he was wracked by guilt over her flight. And as they embraced the Charmander made a silent promise of her own: from that day forth, she would never run away from him again.


	2. The Busy Beedrill

Once upon a time there was a neat and tidy hive in the depths of the forest, in which lived a Beedrill. This Beedrill was gentle and quiet and kind, and he spent all day gathering nectar from the flowers in the forest. At the end of each day he would bring the nectar back to his hive and use it to make honey to feed his young Weedles. He worked hard, but was pleased to be able to help his children.

However, the Beedrill returned home one day to find his Weedles crying.

"Why are you crying, children?" he asked, concerned.

"While you were away, a mean Pokémon came to the hive and stole all of our honey! Now we are very hungry," they replied.

"Never mind," said the Beedrill, who always thought the best of others. "I'm sure that they did not realise that the honey belonged to us. I will make you some more honey, and if they come again, tell them that it is your honey and they will not take it."

The next day, the Beedrill again went out to collect the nectar, happy to have solved his children's problem. But when he returned to the hive, once more the honey was gone! The Weedles told their father that the thief had come again, and laughed when they asked him to stop taking their food. That night, the children were hungry, and the Beedrill found that he was growing angry – an emotion that he had never before had any reason to feel.

That morning, instead of leaving to gather nectar, the Beedrill remained in the hive, hoping to confront the intruder. He had not waited long when there was a scratching near the entrance, and a scruffy Rattata pulled itself into the hive. He began to make for the place where the honey was stored, but the Beedrill put himself in his way.

"Please, sir," the Beedrill said, unsure of what to do now. "I beg you, desist from taking our honey. My children are very hungry, and the honey is all they can eat."

The Rattata laughed scornfully, and replied, "Well, I'm hungry too, and that honey is the best food I've ever tasted! I want it, and you can't stop me from taking it."

Hearing this, the normally calm Beedrill was filled with rage, and immediately attacked the surprised villain. However, it looked as if the Beedrill would lose the fight, as he had never practised in combat and the Rattata was a skilled fighter. But when all seemed lost, a change came over the Beedrill: sharp, poisonous stingers began to grow from his arms and his rear, and he used these new weapons to drive the thief from his hive. And from that day forth, the Beedrill could defend himself and his children, and no one ever stole from them again.


	3. A Coward's Victory

Once upon a time there was an area of long grass in which many Pokémon lived, ruled over by a wise Abra. For many years, this community was happy under his fair rule, but eventually some of the Pokémon began to be discontent.

"This grass is too small, and we are many," they would say. "Please, Leader, lead us to war against our neighbours, so we can conquer more lands for ourselves!"

"No," the Abra always replied. "This grass is suited to our needs, and war always causes more problems than it solves. We have long had peace with our neighbours, so let us not break it now."

However, the younger and more volatile of the Pokémon did not listen to his wise words, and formed a faction which would argue for war at every opportunity. Foremost among them was a Pidgey, who was adept at stirring crowds with his fiery words.

"Our leader is a coward!" he would cry. "And in his weakness, he robs us of our chance to improve ourselves! He is no longer deserving of his title!"

One day, after hearing these words, the crowd roared in agreement and began to storm towards the Abra's dwelling-place, the Pidgey at their head. When the Abra saw them, he cried, "What are you doing? Why are you all so angry?"

"Coward, we have come to depose you, so that we can go to war!" the crowd replied.

"Look!" yelled the Pidgey, "He is trying to flee! Somebody seize him!"

Several Pokémon advanced on the erstwhile leader, but they were not quick enough to seize him before he vanished. In this moment of confusion, the Pidgey fluttered onto the Leader's Pedestal and called:

"All in favour of me becoming the new Leader, say 'aye'!"

"Aye!" roared the crowd.

"Then let all able Pokémon make preparations for war! We shall march at first light tomorrow!"

"Hooray!" the crowd shouted, very pleased with their new Leader's decisiveness.

And so, as dawn broke the next day, the Pokémon of the grass went forth to the grass of their nearest neighbours. The fighting was fierce, but the defenders were taken by surprise and so the grass was swiftly conquered. Leaving only a small force to hold the new territory, they marched on to the next grass, and the result was the same. However, the inhabitants of the third grass had heard of their neighbours' fall, and had mustered their forces to hold back the invaders. These brave fighters were able to hinder the attackers' momentum, finally bringing them to a standstill. Many casualties were taken on both sides, and the invaders began to tire and become war-weary. But still they fought on, eager to prove themselves to their new Leader, who inspired them all at the forefront of every skirmish.

This furious battle went on for several days, with neither side making any progress. However, the tide was finally turned when that fiery Pidgey, Leader of the grass, was struck down by the enemy. Without his presence, the Pokémon could not fight on – they were driven back to their grass, and forced to abandon all they had taken. But when they returned, defeated and without hope, they found those who had remained once more ruled over by that same wise Abra whom they had deposed. Both those too old and too young to fight were calm and safe and happy, untouched by the war their brethren had waged. And so the warriors pled the Abra's forgiveness, for he had been right all along, and once more all the Pokémon of the grass were content under his reign – from that day forth, they never thought of war again.


	4. The Shooting Star

One evening, a grass of Pokémon was preparing to go to bed after a long summer's day. The Pidgeys went to sleep first, then the Jigglypuff's, and last of all the Spearows and Rattatas. But one small Jigglypuff, unable to drop off, suddenly spotted a light in the sky, a shooting star streaming down to earth. She nudged her parents awake and they watched together as the trail of light sped on and on through the night sky. Although it seemed to be getting closer, the clever Jigglypuff knew that, like all shooting stars, it would break up and fade away long before it hit the nearby mountain, known to the Pokémon as Flatmount for its characteristic plateau.

However, this time was different – a loud crash suddenly rang through the air, startling all the Pokémon into wakefulness. The grass became alive with the panicked cries of the surprised Pokémon, and it was several minutes until everyone was clam enough for the Jigglypuff family to explain what they had seen. After hearing this, a hotheaded young Spearow proposed that they investigate the mountain. Overriding the wishes of their elders, the younger Pokémon formed a party and immediately set out. Among them was that same young Jigglypuff who had originally spotted the shooting star – her parents had forbidden her to come, but she had snuck away, eager to see the fallen light.

The party made its way swiftly to the base of Flatmount, traveling on foot and wing. Then they entered the cave and made their way through, occasionally fighting off the advances of the mountain-Pokémon, who were disturbed by the sound and unhappy to see intruders in their cave. Finally, they reached the top floor of the mountain and stood on the wide plateau.

Or where the plateau _had _been, at least. For now there was a massive crater in the middle of it, which the Pokémon of the grass tentatively made their way towards. They crept to the lip of the crater and peered in, gasping as they saw a white boulder, that almost seemed to glow, and a number of small, pink Pokémon clustered around it. One of the strange Pokémon spotted them and came up the slope, stumbling as if unused to using her legs. When she reached the party, she spoke:

"Hello, I'm sorry that we damaged your mountain, but we are very lost. Would you mind telling us where we are?"

"You're on Flatmount, obviously," the Spearow snapped, taking leadership of the stunned party. "Who are you? Where do you come from? What do you want?"

The stranger, seeming more puzzled than offended by these harsh words, replied, "We are Clefairy and we came here by accident. We fell from our home, what we call Moon, when this rock broke off, and we landed here."

This caused much confusion among the party, with none quite understanding how Pokémon could fall from the Moon, as it was so far away from them. However, the Spearow quickly cut through this uncertainty with a simple cry:

"Liar! They have come to attack us and take our land! We must attack now, or else they may never be stopped!"

Many Pokémon roared with agreement, and all suddenly began to advance on the terrified Clefairy. She tried to fly away, but she could not and tumbled down into the crater. The enraged party began to charge after her, ready to destroy this perceived threat to their grass.

Meanwhile the young Jigglypuff, unnoticed by the others, had been examining a small chunk of moon rock that had broken off the whole. While the other rocks seemed to glow, this one actually did, and as she held it the glow spread onto her hand, and throughout her whole body to the tips of her ears, causing her to cry out in shock.

The attacking Pokémon heard this cry, and turned to see the plateau aglow with white light, with the Jigglypuff at the centre. But she was a Jigglypuff no more – as they watched, she grew taller and her ears longer. The light faded, and suddenly they beheld a new Pokémon, one they had never seen before. The Wigglytuff raised her arms and voice:

"You must not harm the Clefairy! You know that no Jigglypuff has ever evolved, but I did by touching this rock! How could that happen, unless they were telling the truth?"

Anger forgotten, the Pokémon of the grass apologised and promised eternal friendship to those whom they had so greatly misjudged. The party returned to their grass to tell their tale, and it spread throughout the land like wildfire. And the story changed from grass to grass, but one fact remained: Flatmount, flat no more, was from that day forth called Mount Moon.


	5. The Emperor's Revenge

Once upon a time, there was a great empire of humans and Pokémon, ruled over by a powerful Imperial Line. Most of the Emperors were wise and benevolent, beloved of their subjects. But one, a massive Golem, was so negligent and cruel that a short time into his reign he was deposed and executed by his people, ending his family's rule of the land. The Empire itself broke up into many small towns and grasses, each ruled by its own Leader, while the Golem was buried in a small temple near to the cave where his mother was born.

However, the Golem's spirit was not content to rest in the temple, and soon returned to this world as a wicked and vengeful ghost. This ghost called itself Gengar, and would often journey out of the shrine to torment the Pokémon of the nearby grasses, and the humans of the villages. Beginning by playing simple tricks, the ghost became more powerful as the people's fear grew, able to spoil food and drink, cause calm Pokémon to suddenly become violent, and even ambush lonely creatures on dark nights, inspiring such terror in them that they could never sleep again. Soon, the whole district was in fear of the vengeful spirit.

And so, one morning a meeting was called for all the Pokémon and humans of the area, to discuss what should be done about the Gengar. Some suggested attacking the ghost during the day when he was weakest, and driving him back to the netherworld. Others wanted to flee the area, giving it to him to rule as he wished. But the best idea came from a certain Vulpix, the most clever and pious of his race – he proposed that everyone should beg the kind spirits of their ancestors to descend upon the land and free them from this evil influence. All agreed to this, and so, just as dusk fell, humans and Pokémon gathered together outside the temple, and began to pray.

When the sun had set, the Gengar emerged from the shrine to find it surrounded by Pokémon and humans, all with eyes closed in fervent prayer. And as he watched, a bright light began to shine through the shadows, slowly forming an unfamiliar shape. Those who were praying opened their eyes to behold a large, angular Pokémon, unlike any they had ever seen, ridden by an armour-clad human wielding a lance. None present had ever seen such a man, but all had heard the stories of knights in shining armour, performing great deeds in far-off lands. The knight spoke:

"We are the Porygon Lancer, avatar of the Past and Future Spirits. They have sent us in answer to your prayers, and in order to reclaim this lost soul. Ghost of Emperor Golem II, you who call yourself Gengar, you will return with usnow, or else you will be imprisoned here for all eternity. What is your choice?"

In reply, the Gengar flung a mighty sphere of shadow at the knight. The watchers gasped – who would dare defy a messenger of the spirits? But the Lancer quickly raised his long, many-coloured lance to deflect the projectile, and his Porygon steed rose off the ground to assault the ghost. It attacked with a spinning triangle of fire, ice and lightning combined, blasting the Gengar from the sky; then knight than struck him with his lance so that he flew into the temple, landing atop the tomb of his corpse. The Lancer then closed the doors and rode his Porygon around the building, tracing a circle on the ground with the point of his lance. Then he spoke again:

"Do not fear, good people, for this unholy spirit is now trapped in the temple, and can never escape. He is powerless to harm you."

With these words, the Porygon Lancer vanished in a flash of light. However, the prison she had created remained, and after a time, the inhabitants of the area began to bury their dead in the temple, out of fear that they might once more become haunted. Thus, the family of ghost Pokémon, Ghastly, Haunter and Gengar, was created from the spirits of discontent Pokémon buried in the temple, and there they remain to this very day.


	6. The Hunting of the Dratini

Once upon a time, a young man from a tiny village went out hunting to feed his wife and son. He carried a spear, for in those days Pokémon and human did not work and play side by side, and the youth was wary of the strange powers that Pokémon sometimes showed. With this weapon in hand, he left the safety of his village and made his way across the open plains towards the nearby lake. Here, he knew, fat Slowpoke sometimes dwelled, and these sluggish creatures were an easy catch for the wily young man.

However, when he reached the lake, there were no Slowpoke in sight. The hunter began to search up and down along the edge of the water, but could find nothing. But just as he thought he would return home empty-handed, he stumbled across a new area of the lake, and there the young man spotted a long, thick shape in the water. With great enthusiasm, he flung his spear at the silhouette, pinning it as it thrashed in the water. When its throes stilled, the young man lifted the body from the water, and saw that it was a Dratini – he recognised it from one of his childhood stories. Pleased that he had provided for his family, the hunter returned home with his kill.

Later that evening, the young man's wife spoke to him:

"Husband, this skin you have brought is so smooth and the meat is so tasty!" she said. "Even the gemstone from the Pokémon's head is shiny and beautiful. If you were to catch more of these Dratini, I could make us the best clothing and jewelry in the village."

And so, the young man returned to his new hunting ground the next day, and the next. His wife made Dratini-skin clothes and ornaments for them and their son, and very soon they were the envy of all the village. But no matter how many people asked where he had found this elusive Pokémon, the young man refused to tell them, for he knew that his secret hunting place was very valuable. Soon, the hunter had caught more Dratini than his family could use, so he began to sell the skins and gems to peddlers passing through the village.

As years passed, the wonderful Dratini-products began to attract the attention of wealthy merchants, and the tiny village grew into a bustling town. When the hunter, now an old and well-off man, came to die, he passed on the location of the secret hunting ground to his son, who carried on his father's business. This tradition carried on over generations, and the descendents of that young man became the richest family in all the land. The town became a city, thriving off the many merchants and travellers who visited the area, hoping to buy, or just get a glimpse of the rare dragon Pokémon.

However, one day when the hunters went out to catch Dratini, there were none to be found. They searched high and low, up and down the sprawling lake, but in the end they went back empty-handed. From that day, no-one could find any Dratini, and the family business slowly died as they lost their only source of income. Many people left the city, until all that were left were the descendents of those who had originally lived in the tiny village, because they had known no other place in their lives.

Many years after the disappearance of the Dratini, another young man, descendent of that long-ago hunter, was wandering the plains with his companion Pokémon. He was not hunting, for over the years the people had come to understand the cruelty of hunting Pokémon, and instead befriended them, to work and play side by side. But as he came to the lake, what should he see but a Dratini, darting through the water! Although he had never seen one before, this young man recognised the Pokémon on sight, so ingrained it was in his family history. For many years the world had thought Dratini extinct, and unlike his ancestor, the youth realised that these magnificent Pokémon should be protected, not hunted for profit. And so he grew up to establish the Safari Zone, a place where all Pokémon – but especially Dratini – could be protected from hunters for all of their days.


	7. The First Pokemon

Long, long ago and deep in the mists of time, it is said that the world was populated by strange, primitive beasts, very unlike the powerful and intelligent Pokémon we know today. These creatures were mindless and without name, having no abilities beyond the ferocious use of tooth and claw. For many eons they ruled all the lands and seas and skies of the world.

But the world could not stay like this forever, and so from these savage creatures a new species arose. Although small and weak, they were blessed with the ability to think and understand, communicate and reason. They soon realised that, by hunting together, they could pull down prey which none could hope to catch alone, and protect each other from the vicious attacks of larger hunters. They formed a society, which was the first grass, and they called themselves Mew.

For many years, the grass of Mew endured, struggling to survive among the larger and fiercer beasts. Each generation, many young Mew would die – only the quickest and smartest could survive, and go on to have their own children. In this way, each generation of Mew was more intelligent than the last, for they were blessed by the great spirits. Over time, more and more of the Mew-kittens survived, and the grass began to swell in numbers, against all odds.

One day, many years after the forming of the first grass, a very strange Mew-kitten was born. He had very wide eyes that almost seemed to glow, as well as a larger head than any of his brethren. The Leader of the grass wished the infant killed, as so strange a child was obviously the work of evil spirits; but his parents instead hid him away in a cave, a little way from the grass. Every day they would bring him food, and watched him grow with surprise and interest. For, as the Mew-kitten grew older, he began to move stones and other objects around him without touching them with paw or tail, causing them to float through the air as if caught by the wind. This was so shocking to his parents that even they began to consider that their child was indeed possessed by an evil spirit, just as the Leader had warned. But neither could bring themselves to turn away from that mysterious Mew-kitten whom they had raised for so long.

One day, while the young Mew rested in his cavern, he began to hear cries from the direction of the grass. Immediately he became seized by a great fear for his parents' lives; he began to run towards the grass, becoming so frantic that he lifted off the ground to glide through the air like a bird. But, swift as he was, the Mew arrived to find the grass half-destroyed, under attack by a pack of fearsome beasts. The bodies of his parents and many other Mew lay on the ground, with the beasts devouring them. A great sadness rose in his heart; but it was quickly replaced by anger, and the young Mew began to use his mystical powers to destroy the attackers. His abilities were far superior to their purely physical attacks, and in a short time the beasts were all killed or driven away.

Many Mew had been killed in the attack, but some still remained, and they freely accepted the strange newcomer into the grass, for they were very grateful for his protection. As the Mew grew up he fell in love with a female Mew of the same age; and when they had children, they were surprised to find that many of the Mew-kittens had the same large head and glowing eyes as their father! As generations passed, more and more inhabitants of the grass looked like he had, as well as showing the mysterious and powerful psychic powers that no other creatures then living could use. And so these Mew, descendents of that strange, shunned Mew-kitten, became the first Pokémon, from whom would follow all of the species we know today.


	8. Paras and the Mushrooms

Once upon a time, a small bug Pokémon by the name of Paras was scavenging for food on the forest floor. There was little to be had, as the berries on the trees had not yet fallen, and the Paras was too small to reach them. But, through persistence, he finally located a growth of spotted mushrooms hidden under a pile of leaves.

About to dig in, the Paras was surprised to hear small voices speaking out from among the mushrooms.

"Please, do not eat us!" they cried, "If you don't, we can help you get more food!"

"How would you do that?" asked the Paras. "There is no other food around. If I don't eat you, I will starve."

"You're wrong; we can help. If you do not eat us, we will release our spores to stun other Pokémon – then you can eat their food!"

The Paras, a very practical Pokémon, thought that this was a very good idea, so he left the mushrooms alone and went out to search again. Soon, he came upon a cache of berries, hidden by a Rattata. However, as he was eating them, the Rattata returned and attacked the Paras to drive him away. Sore, hungry and full of rage, the Paras returned to the mushrooms and asked them,

"I was attacked by a Rattata just now; why did you not release your spores to defend me?"

"You were too far away from us," replied the mushrooms, "We cannot help you if we don't know where you are. I you want us to help, you may carry a few of us on your back so that we can go wherever you go."

Again the Paras was impressed by the mushrooms' cleverness, and consented to have two of them attach themselves to his back. From then on, the Paras was able to take food from other Pokémon – whenever they attacked him, the mushrooms would stun them with spores so that the Paras could flee. With so much food available, the Paras grew very strong, and soon he had the highest level of all the Pokémon in the forest. However, the season changed and the berries began to fall, so that the Paras n longer had any need of the mushrooms' help to get food – in fact, he wished to be rid of them, for they were very heavy.

"Friend Mushrooms," he would say, "Don't you miss your cosy home under the leaves, with all of your friends? If you like, I will bring you back there."

"No, Friend Paras, we are very happy here with you," they replied.

When kind words did not move them, the bug tried force – he would reach with his claws and attempt to pull the mushrooms off his back. However, seeing what he was about to do, the mushrooms would brace themselves and cling to his back, and the Paras was not strong enough to dislodge them.

Finally, the Paras decided that the only way to evict these unwanted guests would be to grow bigger and stronger so that he could tear them off his back. So he trained and trained, and eventually he began to evolve. The Paras, now a Parasect, was pleased to see that his claws had grown much bigger, and he swiftly raised them to renew his attack on the mushrooms.

But then, much to his surprise and annoyance, he discovered that the clever mushrooms had foiled him again! Seeing him grow, they had themselves expanded and fused into one, so that they now covered his entire back. And the Parasect knew that he would never rid himself of the wily fungi.

That is why, to this day, all Paras and Parasect carry mushrooms on their backs, no matter how much they may want to get rid of them.


	9. The Country that needed a King

Once upon a time, there was a country of Pokémon ruled over by a Council of Elders. The Council had ruled wisely and well for a very long time, as long as anyone could remember – but this was the Golden Age of Pokémon, and during that time all countries of the world were kingdoms. Indeed, visitors to that country were often surprised when they discovered the lack of a king, and would exclaim,

"Why don't you have a king? Every country needs a king!"

After some time, news of this advice reached the ears of one member of the Council, a particularly foolish Slowbro, who brought the matter up at the next Council meeting. The Council of Elders, who were, for the most part, very wise, did not think that any individual could rule the country as well as they did together. However, the Slowbro was insistent, so they decided to ask the opinions of the people before committing to a resolution.

And so the Council members dispersed across the land, talking to many Pokémon of all ages and species. By now, many of them had heard of the need for a king from foreigners; and as many were not as wise as the Councillors, they were convinced that their country would not last very long without a king to rule them. So the Council of Elders reconvened and reported that the common Pokémon would feel safer if they had a king protecting them and looking after the land.

But who, the Council asked, was to bear this heavy burden? The king would need to be strong and brave, wise and merciful, stern and unyielding – for they must combine in one Pokémon all of the attributes which had heretofore been shared among the Council of Elders. What's more, no member of the Council itself could be king, for it would not do for one to rise above the others. The Councillors secluded themselves in their great chamber for seven days and nights, suggesting and discarding names in turn. One by one, the list of possibilities was reduced, until only one remained – the valiant horned Pokémon Tailquake, famed throughout the land for both his generosity and military prowess. His queen would be his wife Blueclaw, kind and beautiful beyond compare.

Happy with their decision, a number of Council members set out to bestow this honour on the unknowing couple. But when they arrived, they soon discovered that Tailquake did not understand or welcome his sudden appointment.

"But the country doesn't have a king – it's never had a king!" he protested. "Why is it that I must suddenly be a king?"

"Because we need a king! Everyone needs a king!" cried a Slowbro, that same foolish Slowbro who had first brought the matter to the Council.

Tailquake thought that this was a great joke, and when he told his wife Blueclaw she laughed as well; for they had travelled to many countries, and knew that the Council ruled as well as any king. When the Councillors insisted, he agreed to take the job, provided that he would henceforth be known as the need-a-king, so that all who heard of him would know of the Council's folly.

And from that day on, Tailquake and his wife Blueclaw ruled over what was soon called the Viridian Kingdom, and they were known as the need-a-king and need-a-queen. Over time, this name became corrupted, until today all males of Tailquake's line are known as Nidoking, and the females as Nidoqueen.


	10. Ninetails' Curse

It is widely said that whoever has the misfortune to tread upon, or the thoughtlessness to pull, one of a Ninetails' tails will be cursed for a thousand years. The supposed effect of this curse varies, from harmless annoyance to eternal torment, and each region – if not every grass – has a different legend explaining the origins of the taboo. Nothing is clear, and the Ninetails themselves are silent on the matter, leaving the world unsure as to whether malign consequences truly stem from harming their tails, or if it is merely folklore.

One such story tells of an exceptionally beautiful Ninetails, who was also exceedingly vain. Renowned for her beauty, she was often surrounded by admirers, who had travelled long distances to gaze upon her and stroke her luxurious tails. The Ninetails loved nothing more than to be adored in this way, and she encouraged all who left to spread tales of her loveliness, so that more would visit her in her grass. However, one day a clumsy Psyduck, jostled by the surging crowd around her, trod on one of her tails. Furious, the Ninetails unleashed a torrent of flame, which the Psyduck avoided by hiding under some water. As she was unable to get to him herself, the Ninetails spoke to her followers, exhorting them to follow the Psyduck wherever he went, ensuring that he got no peace. The Pokémon were mesmerised by her beauty, and fervently promised to obey. However, they did not realise that their promise would be binding – thus they were forced to pursue the Psyduck across the lands for all of their lives; and when they died, their spirits carried on the chase. Thus the Psyduck had no rest in death either, and his spirit was driven on and on for a thousand years.

In certain grasses to the north of the region, a different story is told. In this tale, the Ninetails was a powerful sorcerer, able to force the spirits of past and future to hasten to his every whim. He was greatly feared throughout the land, for he could make the grasses wither and die, the trees produce no berries, the hunters miss their prey. So great was this terror that he seldom had need to cast any spells, taking whatever he wanted from the local grasses simply by the threat of retribution. However, one day he travelled further than he was accustomed, and came across a grass where none had heard of his powers. When he tried to obtain food from him, they demanded payment; when he threatened to destroy their livelihoods, they asked how he would do such a thing; when he claimed to be a sorcerer, they laughed and replied that no mortal Pokémon could ever hope to control the spirits. As the Ninetails grew more and more frustrated, the younger Pokémon began to tease him, pointing and pulling on his many tails. A massive rage filled the sorcerer, and he began to enact the greatest curse he knew, made by summoning the spirits of Pokémon who were fated to murder and betray all who they loved. Although he only meant to cause the grassdwellerd a few minutes of torment, the mighty and evil spirits escaped his grasp, and form his spells gained the power to remain in this world. Thus the innocent Pokémon were cursed with the pain of a hundred tortures, and remained in torment until, a thousand years hence, the spirits were banished to that shadowy world from which they came.

A more recent story tells of a human and his companion Pokémon, a Gardevoir. Although this trainer was often harsh and cruel, the Gardevoir respected and loved him, for she had known him since his childhood. One day the trainer, upon discovering a sleeping Ninetails, awakened it by a thoughtless tug upon one of his tails. The Ninetails was suddenly enraged, and cast a terrible curse, intending to affect only the trainer – but instead, it struck the Gardevoir as she threw herself in front of her companion. As the curse took effect, the psychic Pokémon's physical body faded away, leaving her an insubstantial wraith. Alarmed to see Gardevoir disappearing, the human began to flee with great haste, not pausing to find out whether he could save her. The Ninetails was equally shocked by both the Gardevoir's selfless deed and the human's reaction to it; and so he once again cast a curse, this time taking more care with the aim. As it struck, the trainer was transformed into a Gengar, the most loathsome and feared of all the Pokémon, and his memory was erased so that he could not recall his human life. Thus was the selfish trainer punished for his vile abandonment of his companion, even after she had faithfully protected him.


	11. The Salvation of the Flower Kingdom

Once upon a time there was a great hero, a Scyther by the name of Swiftclaw, who travelled far and wide across the land. Wherever he went, if he found that the common Pokémon were in danger, he would rescue them; if they were oppressed, he would free them; if they were attacked, he would slay their enemies. He was beloved throughout the land, and whenever three Pokémon met they would sing of his deeds. What's more, he was feared by every tyrant king and cruel leader, for they knew that it was only a matter of time before Swiftclaw arrived to strike them down. And he would come, often as they reached the heights of their power and believed that nothing could threaten them.

And so it was that Swiftclaw came to the Flower Kingdom, a realm of peace-loving grass Pokémon. At this time, they were under attack from their neighbours, the Flame Kingdom. The fire Pokémon had heretofore lived solely in a volcano near the Flower Kingdom; but now they were blazing forth to burn and conquer their weaker neighbours. Although the Flower warriors were brave, they could not stand against the super-effective fire attacks.

When Swiftclaw arrived, he was greeted as a hero and saviour by all, as they believed that the Scyther was invincible and could solve any problem. However, as the time he had remained in the Kingdom without taking any action stretched on, some began to realise that Swiftclaw was weak to fire even as they themselves were – how could he hope to defeat the Flame Kingdom's warriors? To those who understood this, Swiftclaw came to represent not salvation, but despair. If a great hero such as the Scyther could not save them, how could they have a chance?

But, just as the rumours of hopelessness began to spread, Swiftclaw disappeared, leaving no hint as to his destination. A great wave of sorrow rolled throughout the land, for now all knew that this war was lost. The joyful songs became fearful, and then angry, cursing Swiftclaw for abandoning the Flower Kingdom in their time of need. But the sturdy grass Pokémon would not give up their homes without a fight, so they mustered their armies and marched for one last clash with the Flame Kingdom. Soon, two armies faced each other across the open plain: the Flowers led by a mighty Venusaur, and the Flames by their ruthless Charizard king. Tension filled the air as each waited for the other to make the first move, neither willing to give their opponent any advantage.

Suddenly, an enormous crack resonated through the air. As grass and fire Pokémon watched in like amazement, a fracture split the ground between the two armies, separating them. It widened and stretched, and as it formed, salty water from the sea began to fill it, forcing it still wider. Finally, the Flame Kingdom – volcano, armies and all – had become an island, floating out to sea. And as the Flower Pokémon looked on in astonishment, the hero Swiftclaw came forth, followed by a horde of Diglett!

In a loud voice, Swiftclaw told how he had never truly abandoned the Flower Kingdom, or any Pokémon in need; instead, he had visited the underground tunnels of the Diglett, and enlisted their help. The Flame Kingdom would never trouble them again, as it was now surrounded by sea that would douse their fires should they attempt to cross. And the Flower Kingdom rejoiced, swearing eternal friendship to the Diglett of the tunnels for their timely aid.

The island that Swiftclaw and the Diglett created had soon moved so far out to sea that the fire Pokémon could not escape – not even the Charizard with his fearsome wings could fly far over water. Thus the place was called Prison Island by many, although some few still called it Flame Island in remembrance of their glory days. However, later human settlers, ignorant of the heritage of this place, called it Cinnabar Island, and the descendents of the once-great Flame Kingdom dwell there to this very day.


End file.
